Subaqueous grading apparatus



y 1943- J. D. ANDREWS, JR 2,318,587

SUBAQUEOUS GRADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. :5. 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Fig.1.

' x mum-mun U F g James 1). Andrews, J72,

y .1943- J. D. ANDYREWS? JR 2,318,587

SUBAQUEOUS GRADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J'ames D. AndrewaJir,

y 1943- J. D. ANbREyys, JR 2,318,587

SUBAQUEOUS GRADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1942 4 sheet -sheet 4 JELmes D. An drew-3%, 4;

Patented May 11, 1943 sUBAQUEoUs GRADING APPARATUS James D. Andrews, Jr., United States Army,

. San Francisco, Calif.

Application January 3, 1942, Serial No. 425,507 (o1. a7 vs) (Granted under mean of March 3, 1883, as

6 Claims.

amended April- 30,

This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to the adaptation of the principles of hydraulic grading for the subaqueous grading of banks composed of sand, clay or other earthy material and to an improved arrangement of the associated apparatus whereby the nozzles may be handled under water so as best to accomplish the desired purpose.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide apparatus for degrading banks of relatively loose mtaerial under water to permit the removal of the spoil either by river currents or mechanical means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for controlling the nozzles whereby the loosened material is caused to become suspended in the water and the removal of the spoil facilitated.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an improved arrangement for supporting the nozzles and equipment necessary for pumping of the water and maneuvering of the nozzles.

These and other objectsand advantages of my invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following description of an embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a subaqueous grader constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the grader;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged planview of the nozzle header;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views along the lines 55 and 6-6 respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in cross-section, along the line 1'! of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a view in cross-section of a suitable clutch for use in conjunction with the operating apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of Fig. 8, in which, for the purposes of clarity, the clutch operating arm has been eliminated;

Fig. 10 is a view, in cross-section, of a reciprocating water motor suitable for operating the nozzles; and

Fig. 11 is a view in cross-section of the water motor in the direction of the line II-II of Fig. 10.

Throughout the drawings similar elements have been designated with similar reference numerals.

7 Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that I have provided a barge I having a deck 2 and a well 3. The operating apparatus is enclosed in a house 4. A ladder-like structure 5, hereinafter called ladder, is mounted in the well 3 and is pivoted at th barge end by means of bearings 6. The ladder 5 carries the water supply pipe 1 and the nozzle header 8. The ladder is raised or lowered by means of cable 9, which passes through a sheave I 0 which, in turn, is supported by an A frame I2. The cable 9 leads to the winding drum I I. The drum II is driven from the main shaft I 3 through the combined brake and clutch I4. The main shaft I3 is driven by means of the motor I 5, which may be of any conventional type. In order that the barge I may be maneuvered so as to properly position the nozzle header 8, lines It pass through roller Chocks II, snatch blocks I 8 to drums I9. The other ends of the lines It are attached to fixed points away from the barge I. The drums l9 are each provided with a combined clutchv and brake 20. Water under pressure is provided for the nozzle header 8 by pumps 2| with a suction line 22 to valve 23 to a sea chest 24 and discharging into the supply pipe 1 supported on the ladder 5.

Power for operating all equipment is furnished by Diesel generating plants I03 and associated switchgear 25,

The arrangement for mounting and controlling the nozzle header fill be clear from a consideration of Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The supply pipe I is connected to a T header 26. Upon the T header 26, at suitable intervals are placed swing joints 27, constructed so as to allow free swing in a plane parallel to the axis of the T header 26. To the swing joint 21 are connected pipe arms 28 which are provided at their other ,ends withswing joints 29 to which the nozzles 39 are connected. The swing joints 29 allow a free swing of the nozzles 30 in a plane vertical to the axis of the T header 26. A reciprocating water motor 3 I, supported by a suitable bracket 4| and supplied with water from supply'pipe 'Iby means of water motor supply pipe 32, is arranged to reciprocate the cross bar 33. The swing joints 2! are provided with a lever 34 having a slotted end 35 adapted to be engaged by pin 36 placed in the desired hole 3'! of the cross bar 33. The nozzles 30 are provided at their pivoted. end with levers 38 carrying a locking bolt 39 adapted to. engage the slotted quadrants 40.

-Fig.-7 illustrates a preferred-arrangement for keyed to the shaft tighten the clutch ing piston 9| this movement causes the other connecting the output of the pumps 2| to the supply pipe 1. The pump discharge outlet is connected to a stuffing box 42 provided with packing 43 and a follower 44. A trunnion pipe 45 is carried by trunnion bearing 46 supported by brackets 41. The T, connector 46 on the supply pipe 1 is connected'to pipes 49 fastened to the ladder 5. The pipes 49 are connected to the trunnion pipe 45 by means of flanges 50.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a preferred clutch and brake for use in operating the drums H and I9. The gear running free on the main shaft I3. by means of bearings 52, is keyed to the member 53 carrying the brake drum 54 and peripheral clutch face 55. The clutch operating mechanism is carried by a drum 56 keyed to the main shaft I3. The brake shoes, which have been omitted for the purposes of clarity, are carried by the bracket 51 on the main bearing support 59. A stud 59 carried on the drum 56 engages one end of the clutch band 60, the other end of which is engaged by the adjusting member 6 I. The clutch lever 61 is divided and connected to the clutch by means of links 62 which engage pins 63 of member 64 which runs free in a groove 65 in sliding collar 66. The collar 66 also carries pins 68 which engage links 69, the other ends of which, by means of pins II, engage operating arms 1|) keyed to shaft 12 supported in bearings 13. Also 12 is a lever arm 14 connected to an adjustable arm 15 which, in turn, is connected toa link 16 pivoted to drum 56 by a stud 11. The link I6 is connected to link 18 by means of pin 19 and is arranged to be engaged by the adjustable stop 89. The'ether end of the link 19 engages one arm of a bell crank 8| pivoted about stud 82. The other arm of the crank BI is pivotally attached to the adjustable member 6|. Adjusting members 83 are provided about the periphery of the clutch at suitable intervals. A stop 84 on the shaft I3 is provided to limit the movement of the clutch lever 61.

It will be apparent that with the clutch lever in position against the stop 814 the adjustable arm 15 will be up and the bell crank 8| in its counterclockwise position. As the clutch lever is moved towards downward and impart a .clockwise rotation to the bellcrank 8|. The rotation of the crank 8| will 85 into contact with the clutch face 55 imparting rotation to the member 53 and consequently the gear 5|.

Figs. and 11 illustrate a water power motor suitable for operating the nozzles 30. The motor consists of a cylinder 86 provided with a main valve 81 and an auxiliary valve 88. Water enters the auxiliary valve cylinder 89 through port 90 and passes to one face of the main valve operatthrough channels 92. The entering a movement of the piston 9| and face of the piston 9| to eject the Water above it through the corresponding channel 92 and exit port 93. Flanges 94 on the valve 81 and impart a corresponding movement to said valve uncovering one of the main inlet channels 95 and the opposite outlet channels 91. The water entering the cylinder 86 causes a movement of the main piston 96. This movement, in turn, causes the under face of the piston 96 to eject the water above it through outlet'chanwater causes nel 91 and exhaust port I92. The movement of the piston is imparted to the cross bar 33 by means of piston rod 98. The position of the auxthe member 56 the arm will be moved.

band forcing the clutch facing I shaft of piston 9| engage the main iliary valve 98 is controlled by shaft 99, which in turn, is controlled by the lever I99 connected to the piston rod 98. The lever I99 and the shaft 99 are arranged on guide bars IIlI so that a re- They are angularly positioned by connecting the levers 34 to the proper holes 31 in the cross bar 33. The ladder 5 is then lowered by means of the brake on drum I I and a manipulation of the clutches 20 operating drums I9 will position the barge. If desired, the clutches and brakes may be-remotely controlled from the switchgear 25.

After the header 8 is in position the pumps 2| are started and water ejected from the nozzles 39. The water motor 3| will be actuated and the reciprocati-ng motion of the cross bar 33 will cause an oscillation of the nozzles in a plane corresponding to that in which they were placed by the quadrant adjustment. Further manipulation of the drums I9 willicause the barge to be 'maneuvered so that the desired dredging operations may be carried out. It will be appreciated that the constant movement imparted to the nozzles 39 will cause a continual agitation of the water and, consequently, the material dislodged will tend to remain in suspension for a much longer period than would be true were the nozzles fixed. Where there are strong currents the particles in suspension will be carried away by natural means, it is obvious, however, that should the current not be strong enough for such a purpose a suction dredgemay be used; New mooring positions are used after the barge I has operated within the limits of the lines I6 until the desired dredging operation has been completed. After completion of the project the lines Ifiare reeled in, the pumps 2| turned off and the ladder raised toits uppermost position within the well 3 when the barge is ready to be transporated to a. new location.

Although I have described my invention with particularity in connection with a single embodiment thereof it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particular apparatus and arrangements disclosed since various modifications within the spirit of the invention will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A subaqueous grader comprising a vessel, a submersible supply pipe'having one end pivoted to said vessel, a header carried by the free end of said submersible-member, said header being arranged transversely to said supply pipe, a nozzle pivotally attached to said header, means to raise and lower said submersible supply pipe, means to adjust said nozzle to a predetermined vertical angle while said submersible supply pipe is in its raised position, means to oscillate said nozzle in a plane parallel to said header .while submerged, and means to force fluid from said nozzle.

2. A subaqueous grader comprising, a vessel, a submersible supply pipe pivotally attached to said vessel, a header mounted on the end of said supply pipe to be submerged, said header being arranged transversely to said supply pipe, a nozzle pivotally attached to said header, means to raise and lower said submersible supply pipe, means to angularly adjust said nozzle in a vertical plane and in planes parallel to said header, mean to oscillate said nozzle in a plane parallel to said header while submerged, and means to force fluid through said nozzle.

3. A subaqueous grading apparatus comprising a submersible supply pipe arranged to be lowered to a fixed position, a header carried by said supply pipe, said header being arranged transversely to said supply pipe, a nozzle provided with a lever and pivotally attached to said header, means to raise and lower said submersible supply pipe, means to adjust said nozzle to a predetermined vertical angle whil said submersible supply pipe is in its raised position, means to] oscillate said nozzle in a plane parallel to said header while submerged, said oscillating means being attached to said lever, and mean to force fluid from said nozzle.

4. A subaqueous grading apparatus according to claim 3 in which said lever is adjustably connected :to said oscillating means, whereby the field of oscillation of said nozzle may be varied.

5. A subaqueous grader comprising, a vessel, a submersible supply pipe having one end pivoted to said vessel, a header carried by the free end of said submersible member, said header being arranged transversely to said supply pipe, 2. plurality of nozzles pivoted to said header, means to raise and lower said supply pipe, means to individually adjust said nozzles to predetermined angles in a vertical plane and in af'plane parallel to said header while said header is'-in its raised position, means to oscillate said nozzles in a plane parallel to said header while-submerged, and means to force fluid from saidnozzles.

6. A subaqueous grader comprising, a vessel, a submersible supply pipe pivotally attached to said vessel, a header mounted on the end of said supply pipe to be submersed, said Qheader being arranged transversely to said supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles pivoted to said header, means to raise and lower said submersible member, means to individually angularly adjust said nozzles in a vertical plane and in a plane parallel to said header, means to oscillate said nozzles in a plane parallel to said header, and means to force fluid through said nozzles.

JAMES D. ANDREWS, JR. 

